Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. said today that it will supply the wings for Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) platform aircraft for the U.S. Navy’s new Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System (BAMS UAS) program.
“We are honored to be a part of a vital aircraft program that supports and protects our nation,” said Dennis Orzel, vice president, Vought Integrated Aerosystems Division. There are about 70 people in Dallas and 20 in Milledgeville, Ga., who work on Vought’s Global Hawk program.
Vought has been on the Global Hawk program since May 2001, responsible for the wing fabrication, assembly and structural testing. The company built two prototype and nine production wing sets under its initial contract with Northrop Grumman for the original Block 10 version. Vought has delivered 14 wings for the Block 20 version of Global Hawk – the RQ-4N’s platform. The Block 20 version features an increased wing span of approximately 15 feet, allowing it to carry more fuel and fly longer missions than its predecessor.
Vought uses commercially available graphite and epoxy materials, including high modulus unidirectional tape, in the fabrication of the Global Hawk wing. The RQ-4 wing is 130.9 feet long, weighs about 4,000 pounds and is the longest wing ever delivered from Vought’s Dallas facility.
Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4N, a maritime derivative of the RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle, will be the platform for the BAMS UAS suite of maritime surveillance sensors and communications systems. When operational, the BAMS UAS will play a key role in providing commanders with a persistent, reliable picture of surface threats, covering vast areas of open ocean and littoral regions.
Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. is one of the world’s largest independent suppliers of aerostructures. Headquartered in Dallas, the company designs and manufactures major airframe structures such as wings, fuselage subassemblies, empennages, nacelles and other components for prime manufacturers of aircraft. Vought has annual sales of approximately $1.6 billion and about 6,600 employees in nine U.S. locations.
This release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices or in the number of aircraft to be built and challenges in the design, development, and production of such aircraft; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in Vought’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Contacts:
Lynne M. Warne, 615-974-6003
warnely@voughtaircraft.com
